Metal fence-post



J. M. FELLOWS.

METAL FENCE POST.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30,1915- RENEWED JULY ll, I9I6.

1 1 95, 1 92. Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETS$HEET I.

WITNESSES IIVI/E/VTOR fig/ afellawsg A TTORNE YS J. M. FELLOWS.

METAL FENCE POST. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30.1915. RENEWED JULY 11.1916.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. FELLOWS, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA.

METAL FENCE-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

Application filed June 30, 1915, Serial No. 37,216. 'Rencwed July 11, 1916. Serial No. 108,721.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN M. FELLows, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kokomo, in the county of Howard and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Metal'Fence-Posaof which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates tofences and has particular reference to the construction of inetal fences.

Among theobjects of the invention is toprovide a novel means for constructing a fence post of sheet metal orvthe' like-.and so bent or formed as to possess a maximum degree of strength and stiffness and with suflicient breadth to counteract the tendenc of the fence to tilt laterally.

. 1 A further object ofthe invention is to provide a novel form 'of extension member for use in connection with the main post and with novel and peculiar facilities for securing the wires or wire fencing thereto. With the foregoing and other objectsin view, the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invening toward the left in Fig. 1; Fig.' 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing only the extension post portion; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the filler member to lock the wire in place; Fig. 5 'is a transverse section on the line. 5-5 0f Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a similar view on. the line 6-6 but with the parts dispersed; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional detail on the line 77 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a face view of afragment of the extension post asseen from the point indicated by the arrow -8, Fig. 6; and Figs. 9 and 10 are side and cross sectional views of a modified form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I show at 15 the main fence post or the main element of the combined fence post, the same being adapted to be planted or set into the ground in any suitable manner. This post, as shown best in the sectional views of Figs. 5 and 6,- is made of angle construction, the same comprising a series of substantially flat webs 16, 17, 18 and 19 arranged at .obtuse angles each to each forming the angles20, 21, and22. By

reason of this peculiar formatioirof the main post, it; possesses an enormous amount of strength tending to resist bending and breaking strains and also has comparatively great width in the direction of the line of the fence whereby any tendency of, live stock or high winds to tilt the fence later ally in either direction with respect to the line of the fence 'willbe effectively resisted, even though a special base such as indicated at 23 be omitted.

At 24 and 25 I show a pair of guides rigidly secured as by rivets 26 upon the face of the main post webs 17 and 18. Each of the guides comprises a web 27 formed by folding or rolling one edge of the guide upon itself, leaving the mainportion of the guide spaced from the main portion of the web to which-the guide is secured, and with said free portion ofthe guide approaching theangle 21, whereby there is formed an L- .shaped guideway 28 between the angle formed by the webs 17, 18 and 21 and the two guide portions. It will be understood that the guides 24 and 25 may be connected to the main post at the factory and hence become permanent parts thereof.

At 29 I show what may be termed an extension member or extension post made preferably of sheet metal bent or folded upon itself at the middle forming a rigid rib 30 and having divergent flange portions 31 adapted to slip longitudinally in said L- shaped guideway 28. The rib 30 is provided with any suitable number of notches or slots 32 extending horizontally from the outer edge of the rib to points substantially halfv way toward the flanges 31 and are thence extended downwardly forming seats 33 for the wires W of the fence. These notches 32 may be of any suitable size preferably slightly larger in width than the diameter of the wires and spaced from one another according to the fence builder or the make of the fence wire to be used therewith. The extension post 29 has each of its flanges 31 provided with one or more key holes 34 shown herein as three in number in vertical alinement. In this connection it will be noted that each guide 24 or 25 is provided with a key hole 36 of subparts in the main set of figures.

stantially the same size and shape as a hole 34 and registerin with a similar hole 37 formed in the we to which such guide is secured, as shown best in Fig. 5. When the extension post is slipped into the guideway 28, as explained above, to the desired distance, locking keys 38 are slipped through the registering holes 36, 34 and 37 in the order specified, and then the weight 39 at the front end of each of the keys will insure that the key will be so turned as to prevent accidental withdrawal thereof, the locking tongue 40 of each key being extended horizontally when the key is introduced, and when in looking position it extends downwardly, overlapping the main post as shown in Fig. 7. By providing a plurality of holes 34 in the extension post, this part of the device may be elevated or lowered as ma y be required according to the height of the fence from the ground. I

At 41 I show what may be termed a keeper formed also of sheet metal and of U-shape, the same being adapted to embrace the rihportion 30 of the extension post as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. This keeper member is designed to be substantially coextensive in length with the notched portion of the extension post and is provided with horizontal notches 42 spaced according to the notches 32 of the extension post and hence are so arranged as to embrace the wires when the latter are seated in the seats I 33. i The. notches 42 hence iie normally slightly below the-open ends of the notches 32 and tend to prevent the wires from being...

displaced from the seats 33 when the keeper is locked in position upon the extension post by means of bolts -or rivets 43 passing through registering holes 44 formed through the keeper and rib 30., As an additional precaution, however, to resist the tendency of the wires to be dislodged from the seats 33, I provide filler blocks 45 as shown best in Figs 2 and"4-,--ea c h of which is adapted to fill the space betweeii't'he wire and that portion of the notch 32 directly above it and of a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the rib 30.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a modification of the foregoing invention in which I employ a main post section of compound angular formation shown at 15 and comprising webs 16, 17 18 and 19 related to one another substantially the same as the corresponding As a means, however, for securing the wires firmly thereto, I provide a duplicate compound angular construction indicated at 15 and adapted to be fitted snugly against the the main member forming This form of post is exceedingly stiff and strong and well adapted for corners and ends of fence lines and may be braced as indicated at 47 as may be required.

I claim:

1. A fence post construction comprising a series of webs connected each to each in obtuse angles, a pair of guide members secured to the front faces of theintermediate webs and forming an Lshaped guideway along the central angle of the post, an extension post member slidable longitudinally along said guideway, and means to secure the extension post member in any de red position lengthwise of the post.

2. The herein described fence post con struction comprising a main rigid post member, guide members secured thereto in spaced relation to each other and forming a guideway between them and the post mem her, an extension member slidable along said guideway and including, a rib extending substantially at a right angle to the main post member, and means :to lock the extension member tothe main 0st member.

3. The herein describe fence post comprising a main rigid member of angle constructiom ineans connectedlongitudinally to a guideway, an extension membei' adj u'sta lel lon'gitudinally of the mainmember along 'sazid guideway to vary thegeffecti've length 'of the 'post, and means extending transversely-"through said extension member andmain member to lock the extension member in adjusted position.

4. In a fence post, the combination of a main rigid anglemember having a plurality of key-hole slots formed transversely therethrough, means secured to one side of the rigid member forming a guideway vertically of the rigid memberand also having key-hole slots registering with those aforesaid, an angular extension member slidably fitted in said guideway and having aseries of vertically spaced slots adapted to register with those of the rigid member, and a plurality of locking keys adapted to pass through the key-hole slots of the rigid member 'and those of the extension registering therewith, substantially as set forth.

JOHN M. FELLOWS. 

